Being a Genius Isn't Easy
by Forever-Tangled
Summary: Pre-Movie - please read the A/N in Chapt. 1! What life might have been like for the Big Hero 6 in high school - you know, being geniuses and all. TadashixHoney, but the whole story isn't focused on the ship. Rated T just because. Terrible at summaries! Oh, and they'll be one-shots, of course.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys!  
SO here's the gist: I haven't seen Big Hero 6 yet. I know, I know, I'm a terrible person and I really want to see it. Sooo if there are any inaccuracies with the characters, that's why. Please feel free to point them out! I wanted to wait 'til after I saw the movie to start writing this, but I COULDN'T WAIT. So I bought the Junior Novelization of Big Hero 6 (I'm not afraid to read a 116 page kid's book, what's wrong with that?...) and these will basically be based off of what I picked up on from the book, at least until I get to see the movie.  
Anyway, I'll stop rambling and just..yeah, just let you get to the actual story.  
**

* * *

"Out of the way, _loser_!" a jock shoved into the spindly, tall girl. She stumbled on her platform heels and ended up backing into the biggest bully in the entire high school.  
"Watch it, nerd! I thought you had glasses so you can see, Spencer." the shorter brunette shoved her as she passed, and the tall girl fell, her thick textbooks falling as well as her glasses and pink backpack. Her face blazed red as she watched the brunette, Lizzie, saunter off, giggling with her friends. Sighing, she shoved her pink-framed glasses onto her face. She was new to San Fransokyo High, and because of this, she was bullied _constantly._ It didn't help that she had aced her chemistry exam on her first week at the school. It was hard to maintain her bubbly personality when she didn't know anyone and everyone that talked to her were speaking simply to insult her!  
Blinking, she saw a pair of sneakers that had stopped in front of the mess surrounding her.  
"You okay?"  
She glanced up and saw the dark haired boy watching her, eyebrows furrowed in mild concern.  
"Yeah - thanks," she nodded, her face burning redder.  
"And my next question is if you need help picking up the incredible amount of textbooks they knocked out of your hands. Do you?"  
"Oh! Well, I'm running late to class, so that'd be fantastic, if you would..." she explained, laughing, and the boy knelt, piling the science textbooks into her thin arms.  
"Sure you can carry all these?" he chuckled, impressed by the girl's strength.  
"Yup! Thanks _so _much!' she grinned, pushing her glassed up further on her nose as she tried to remember the boy's name. "Um...your name is...?"  
"Hamada. Tadashi Hamada," he said dramatically, grinning. "You're Abbey, right?"  
"Yep." She glanced up at the huge clock centered on the wall opposite her. "-oh! I-I'd better get going! See you!" she jumped up, racing for her chemistry class. Tadashi shuckled, shaking his head and sticking his hands into his pockets are he watched Abbey Spencer race down the hallway, platform heels and all.

At lunch, he saw she was sitting alone, which seemed to be her norm. She was completely absorbed in her textbook. Tadashi glanced towards his group of friends and waved to catch their attention. "I'll catch up later, guys!" he jogged over to where the girl sat. She hadn't touched her cafeteria pizza, but instead was still poring over her textbook, which Tadashi now recognized as a chemistry textbook.  
"This seat taken?" Tadashi clunked his lunch tray down to catch the blond's attention.  
"Hm? Oh! No, sit - please!" she grinned toothily and shut her book over a forefinger, using the other hand to shovel in a mouthful of pizza.  
"So what's the deal with those kids? I mean, from earlier. When they knocked you down," he added.  
She shrugged, grabbing her carton of sweet tea and sipping it. "I'm new and I'm a nerd. That's all, I suppose!"  
"Hey, nothing wrong with being a nerd. My brother's a robotics prodigy - he's starting in high school soon."  
"How old is he?" she asked.  
"Ten."  
She nearly choked on her tea. "Ten?!"  
"Yep. Hiro's pretty great," he grinned. "What grade are you in?"  
"Eleventh. Well, I'm a grade ahead, so I guess I'm technically a sophomore.." she admitted when his eyebrows shot up in surprise.  
"And you're taking chem?"  
"Yes! It's _amazing_!" Abbey giggled before diving into a detailed explanation of what she was studying. As a senior, Tadashi understood it, and enjoyed her nerdy babble. At least...until Fred slid into the seat beside him.  
He listened a moment to the blond's eager chatter, scratched his head in confusion and shook his head before speaking up, overlapping her. "Bro, you said you'd catch up."  
Tadashi coughed. Whoops. "Uh, sorry. She-"  
Fred broke him off. "No prob, bro. You're new, right?"  
Startled at his swift change of direction in the conversation, Abbey re-situated the glasses on her face. "Yes. My name's-"  
"No, no. I'm bad with names." he broke off, eying her tea carton. "Honey Lemon."  
"What?" her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  
"Your nickname. It's going to be Honey Lemon. You've gotta have a nickname created by Freddie to be in Tadashi's group of friends. You've just been officially inducted into Team Tadashi." he pointed to the carton of tea and grinned.  
Abbey - no, _Honey Lemon_ \- laughed, not quite sure she understood whatever Fred was talking about. The nickname Honey Lemon was strange, but better than some of the other things she'd been called at the school. Fred finally left, expecting Tadashi and Honey to follow him to their usual table.  
"I'll stay here for today," she smiled at Tadashi's silent and awkward invitation, which was no better than Fred's silent invitation - if you could call it that.  
"Okay. Hey, if you, uh, want to hang out sometime, you know, o-or if you need help with your chem homework, lemme know." he scribbled his number on a napkin and tore off.  
Abbey laughed, thankful for the time he'd spent with her. She'd had a rough time of it in this new school. Grinning, she carefully folded the napkin with the scribbled cell phone number and stuck it into her backpack before delving back into her textbook. The nickname Honey Lemon might even grow on her. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Is she your _girlfriend_? Ooooh," the boy giggled. "And she's coming over here? When? Tonight?"  
"She isn't my girlfriend, bonehead," Tadashi rolled his eyes at his younger brother. "She's coming over to get some of my old notes on chemistry."  
"Did I hear something about a girlfriend? Tadashi, do you have something you wanna tell your Aunt Cass, hm?" she bustled through, apron tied around her waist. "Does my big boy like a girl?" she set her tray of dirty dishes down and stood on tiptoe to ruffle his hair. He ducked away, mildly irritated.  
He should've _never _ invited Honey Lemon to the Lucky Cat so she could pick up his old chemistry notes. For being a 'smart' guy, this was by far one of his stupidest life decisions.  
"No, Aunt Cass. Honey's coming over for chem notes, if you would've paused to hear the _rest _of my sentence," he laughed. "Need me to get those for you?" he added, pointing to the tray of dishes.  
"Please do, sweetie. Thank you! But I have a question for you. Why do you call her Honey if she isn't your girlfriend?"  
Rolling his eyes in exasperation, he pushed the sleeves of his button-up sweater up to his elbows before taking the dishes to the kitchen, through the swinging doors that separated it from the cafe at the Lucky Cat cafe. "Fred gave her a nickname. Honey Lemon. It's just because of the tea she was drinking when he stopped to talk to her once."  
"Mhm, okay. I thought he only gave _weird _nicknames, like Wasabi and-"  
"Honey Lemon _isn't_ a weird name?"  
"I think it sounds...sweet..." Cass teased.  
Tadashi groaned. "Yeah, yeah. Ask her yourself if you don't believe me."  
Hiro tagged after his older brother. "Isn't Honey the tall blond chick that sat at our table today?"  
"_Lady,_ Hiro, not chick. Use your big brain to think of actual women's titles, instead of implying they're baby chickens."  
"I wasn't-that's not-"Tadashi chuckled at his brother's irritation and confusion.  
"And why don't you make yourself useful and dry the dishes as I clean them, huh?"  
"I have homework," he shook his head.  
"Which will take you, what, ten minutes, genius? We both know you're just gonna hang around here and wait to spy on me and Honey Lemon, anyway," Tadashi said.  
Grumbling, Hiro grabbed a towel and started buffing plates dry.

"Hellooo?" a sweet voice called.  
"I'm back here - er, I'll be out in a minute," Tadashi yelled.  
"Hey! Are you Honey Lemon?" the loud greeting that overlapped his was Aunt Cass's.  
Tadashi smacked his forehead with his wet hand. Not Aunt Cass. Anybody but Aunt Cass.  
"Hey, Hiro - finish up for me, will you?"  
"No! Man, that's _your _job. I'm doing mine, see?" he dried a plate under Tadashi's nose.  
"Yeah, but Aunt Cass.."  
"Afraid she'll tell Honey some embarrassing story about you?"  
"Yes-_No!_ I am _not._ Just-do it because I'm your older brother and I told you to."  
"Hmph. That doesn't work, you know."  
"But maybe I'll tell Cass what _really _happened to her bonsai tree the other day-"  
"Blackmail? Really?"  
"Aunt Cass, Hiro-"  
"Hey!" his brown eyes widened, and he grabbed the dishcloth from his brother. "_Fine. _But you'll owe me."  
"I love you, little brother..." he grinned.  
"Yeah, yeah. Love you too." Hiro rolled his eyes and scrubbed at a nasty plate. If he could hurry up and do this job, he might be able to spy on Honey and Tadashi yet.

"Hey! The notes are in my backpack, I just gotta-just gotta get them. Where's my back-oh. Duh. Right here." he grinned sheepishly as he fairly tripped over his own backpack. Honey watched him with a mildly amused expression.  
"Do you want something, Honey? Pastry?" Aunt Cass snagged a manju from under a glass case on the counter. "Fresh manju, maybe?"  
Honey Lemon smiled, readjusting her glasses on her nose. "Who would I be to refuse? Everyone says the Lucky Cat is the _best_ cafe in San Fransokyo."  
"Oh, I don't know if that's true or not..." Aunt Cass laughed, handing her the treat. "But thank you, honey." She was having way too much fun with the whole Honey - nickname and honey-endearment thing.  
She politely bit into the manju, but turned her attention to Tadashi when he plunked a sheaf of old papers down in front of her. "There you go."  
"Oh! Wow, that's a _lot _of notes. Thank you!" she grinned toothily, setting the treat down beside the papers and wiping her fingers on her white pants before leafing through them. "Handwritten, too. Yikes."  
"I remember writing them. My hand was never quite the same," Tadashi joked.

In the kitchen, Hiro set the last knife down triumphantly, finally hurrying to stand on tiptoe, peering out through the door's window. He could _just _see Honey and his brother. Perfect. He couldn't hear them well, but he saw the grin on the girl's face, as well as the awkward smile on his Tadashi's. Oh, brother. He _definitely _had a thing for the tall blond. This could be the perfect ammunition for teasing his older brother later.  
Aunt Cass busied herself with cleaning tables, switching the sign on the door to CLOSED. Just as she did so, Fred shoved through the door, his nose stuck in a comic book. Cass was used to Tadashi's friends coming in after-hours, so she didn't reprimand him, just got out of his way as he walked, still reading, to his usual table.  
Fred finally glanced up from his comic.  
"Hey, dude! And Honey Lemon! Oooh, is this some sort of-"  
"_NO!" _Tadashi groaned. "She came for my old chem notes."  
"Chem?"  
"Chemistry exam in two days, silly!" Honey grinned. "Hi, Freddie."  
"Then if this isn't some sort of date, why is your brother gawking through the kitchen window?" Fred pointed towards the mass of black hair and the two curious brown eyes peeping over the edge of the window.  
Hiro saw every single person in the cafe turn to look at him in surprise. Cass grinned, but busied herself with her work. Tadashi's face burned red with embarrassment.  
And then he started for the door.  
Uh-oh.

The younger Hamada brother frantically tried to back away from the door, but stepped on his loose shoelaces and went sprawling backwards, kicking the door open.  
Irritation slowly vanishing, Tadashi strode in, only somewhat concerned about his brother's fall. "You okay, bonehead?"  
"Gee, thanks. I could've gotten a concussion," Hiro grumbled, rubbing his head as he sat up.  
"No you couldn't have. That's why I'm not worried. Serves you right, though!"  
"But I've _gotta _spy on-"  
"I don't have a thing for her, Hiro. You see the big pile of papers in front of her? Chem notes. I'll be giving a copy of them to you soon, when you take chem."  
"You _sure_?" Hiro grinned teasingly at his brother.  
"Yes, genius, I'm _sure._ Now, go amuse Fred. Or Aunt Cass. Or do that homework you said you had to do..."  
"Homework? Oh - yeah, homework," he grinned, embarrassed. He'd forgotten about his homework excuse already. "I think it can wait 'til later. Fred promised me he'd show me his newest comic book."  
"When did you do your homework, though?" Tadashi asked.  
"Lunch period," he shrugged, even though he _had _done all of his homework during lunch - and on the bus ride home. It didn't take long for him to finish the assignments, as long as nobody distracted him by teasing him. Pushing past his brother, he rushed out of the kitchen so he could hang out with Fred.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stupid brain!" Hiro grumbled, rolling over in his bed and cocooning himself in his blanket. He just couldn't stop thinking. Being a literal genius, according to his IQ, he had trouble turning off his thoughts and going to sleep. Thoughts of robotics, his newest blueprints for his fighter bots he was trying to invent, and the science final plagued his thoughts, preventing him to just go to sleep. He tossed and turned, making various sounds of discontent.  
"Hey, bonehead, go to sleep," Tadashi called quietly from his side of the bedroom.  
"If I could I would, dorkface," Hiro threw back.  
His older brother sighed, and Hiro heard his bed springs creak on the other side of the room, then a depression in the edge of his own mattress. "What's up? Not girls yet, right? You're too young for that."  
"Ew, no," Hiro buried his face in his pillow before sighing. "Perks of being a boy genius."  
"Can't quit thinking?" his older brother asked.  
"You got it." he mumbled into his pillow.  
"Want to talk it out?"  
He gulped. He didn't want to tell his brother about his fighter bots. Top-secret stuff, you know. "Nah."  
"C'mon, I'm your big brother, genius," he rumpled his little brother's messy hair. "What's going on in that big brain?"  
"Just, you know, science exam. I have one tomorrow. And, uh, robot stuff."  
"Robot stuff you think I wouldn't understand?" Tadashi asked.  
Hiro sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "No."  
"Well, do you need help with something? I could help. Or maybe I could call my buddy at SFIT up - Wasabi. He might be able to help."  
"Like I said - I don't need help," he shook his head.  
"If you're sure," he eyed his brother warily. He had a feeling his brother was up to something, but he didn't want to push him.  
"Yep. I'm sure."  
"But would you say no to some hot chocolate and whipped cream? If we're quiet, Aunt Cass'll never know, and it might help you go to sleep" Tadashi offered.  
Hiro's eyes brightened. "Now _that_ is an offer I'll take you up on."


	4. Chapter 4

Casey rolled her eyes and snapped her gum. She was _so _uninterested in the girls' mindless chatter. While most girls cared only about boys, makeup, or the newest music album by whats-his-face, she was more interested in sciences and mechanics. The short Asian girl caught a lot of teasing for it, but she didn't care. Heck, she'd dish it out right back at the bullies, to boot. Nobody messed with Casey.  
"And what are you up to, Casey?" a blond girl smirked, waiting for an answer as they walked down the hallway to their next classes.  
Casey rolled her eyes up to glance at the freshly-dyed purple streak in her hair, trying to control her sarcasm. "Oh, you know. Cool stuff."  
"Yeah? Like what?"  
"Making my own bike. Mag wheels that aren't tires. Makes a faster bike." She thought about the project she currently worked on in her parents' garage.  
"Okaay," she said. The blond hadn't understood a word she'd said.  
"Yeah. It's cool."  
"Sounds dumb. Why not just buy a bike?"  
"Because," she snapped her gum again. "You don't get a fast bike if you buy some factory-made thing. If all goes well, it will go in speeds reaching fifty miles per hour without me hardly even touching the pedals. Can _your _bike do that?"  
"I don't have some stupid bike," she tossed her blond hair. "I've got a car. It can go _much _faster than fifty miles per hour, and I don't have to pedal anything. I think we know who wins this round, nerd."  
"Yeah, I do." Casey nodded. "Wait'll I make a maglev car. Sportscar. _Airhead_."  
The girl rolled her eyes and snapped off a snarky comment, but Casey matched the attitude. Thank goodness this was Casey's senior year at high school. She couldn't stand them. Her internet friend, Tadashi Hamada, who went to San Fransokyo High, had recommended SFIT as a potential college degree, and so she had applied. Of _course _she'd gotten accepted, but for now? She was stuck with all the mindless morons.

When she got home from school, she ran up a set of stairs to her messy bedroom, slamming the ON button on her computer as she used the other hand to pull her sneakers off of her feet, tossing them randomly off to the side. Plopping down, she clicked the "NEW MESSAGE" button that came up.  
Tadashi.  
**_Tada: _How are the maglev tires coming?**  
She rolled her eyes. WHEELS, not tires. They were wheels.  
**_Tomago: _Wheels, nerd, not tires. They're coming along okay.  
_Tada: _Yeah, yeah. Tires, I get'cha. By the way, Freddie says he wants me to tell you hi. And he adds that you're totally getting nicknamed "GoGo Tomago" when you start coming here.  
_Tomago: _I'd like to see him try. And okay, genius, explain to me the difference between a tire and a wheel.  
_Tada: _I know the difference, youngster. Trust me, you'll settle into SFIT well in a few months, weird nicknames and all. You have to have a Fred-given nickname to be inducted into Team Tadashi.  
_Tomago: _And what if I don't want to be on 'Team Tadashi', whatever that is?**  
Of course she was just teasing her friend.  
**_Tada: _I'm hurt.**_  
_**_Tomago: _Then get your weird robot thing to help you. How's he coming along, anyway?  
_Tada: _His name is Baymax. And I'd rather not talk about it.  
_Tomago: _Ask Abbey for help. She'll be more than happy to help you, I'm sure.  
_Tada: _I have been, but we're stumped. Every time I alert him, he starts shorting out or poking us or...well...between you, me, Honey Lemon, and the robot? He wrecked the entire lab the other day before we could get him to shut off.  
_Tomago: _Sounds fun. I'd ditch the idea if I were you.  
_Tada: _It is fun. Trust me. But I can't give up on him yet. He has the potential to help a lot of people, Casey, and  
_Tada: _Heeeyy, GoGo! How's it** **going?**  
Casey groaned, spitting her gum out in a trashcan and stuffing a fresh piece into her mouth. Fred.  
**_Tomago: _Fred. Give Tadashi his keyboard back.  
_Tada: _Hey, I just wanna  
_Tada: _It's me again, Casey. Sorry bout that. Locked him out of the lab for now.**  
Casey chuckled. A small part of her dreaded going to SFIT. If Fred was this annoying, he likely wouldn't last ten minutes. She'd have him knocked out in minutes.  
**_Tomago:_****Creeper.  
_Tada: _We'll not get into that conversation. Anyway, how's school going?  
_Tomago: _Same. Girls are girls.  
_Tada: _In other words, they're bullying you?  
_Tomago: _Well, they're dumb to. I throw it right back in their faces. Don't worry about me.  
_Tada: _Yeah, well...Hiro's going through the same thing. It's rough. People are cruel, 'specially to us geniuses ;)  
_Tomago: _Yeah. Oh well. I gotta go, I need to get working on my maglev WHEELS.  
_Tada: _Okay, Casey. Good talk. Go work on those tires!  
_Tomago: _Not funny, nerd.**  
**_Tada: _Hypocrite.  
**Casey turned the computer off, shaking her head. Tadashi was a good friend, even though they'd not yet met in real life yet. As long as he wasn't some old creeper. Grabbing her leather jacket, she sprung from her chair and dashed down the stairs, heading for the garage: aka the location she spent most of her free time.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hiro! You _failed_ your mathematics quiz? _How_?!" Aunt Cass's horrified screech could be heard down in the cafe, where Tadashi was washing up dishes.  
_Dang it_, Hiro thought as he snatched the paper from her hands. "Uh...yeah. Forgot to study. Heh. Yeah. I forgot...it'll be okay. My grade's not that bad."  
"How bad is it?"  
Hiro gulped. He knew he could be doing much better than this.  
"C. A-almost a B, though!" he reassured her, but she threw her hands in the air, gasping, and promptly stomped to the refrigerator, pulling a pastry from it and biting down on it.  
"Hiro Hamada, your grades will affect your life for_ever_ now! I'm talking about college, jobs, your entire life! How could you be doing so poorly? You're twelve and a junior in high school! You're better than that!" she gulped the last bite of her pastry whole, immediately retrieving another one. "And now-I'm stress eating. Because of you! You boys will be the death of me!"  
"Aunt Cass, I promise I'm..." he tried to lie, but couldn't force it out of his mouth. "I'm going to improve. Or try to. I'm-I'm tired, so I'm just gonna head off to bed. Okay? Don't eat too much."  
She flashed him a _look_ and then bit down on her pastry as if it were the cause of all of her problems. "You better improve that grade, Mister. Get a good night's rest and get that brain working."

He nodded and gave her a convincing grin-at least, he _hoped _ it was a convincing grin - and raced upstairs. He knew he could do better. He could have aced that quiz if he wanted to, no problemo.  
Sighing, he buried his face in his pillow, not even bothering changing his clothes. He didn't want to go to this school anymore. Too many...too many people who didn't get it. He'd managed to hide the black eye from Aunt Cass, but he couldn't go on hiding injuries related to being bullied because he was so smart. Plus, it was mentally exhausting, the bullying.  
Sometime right before he fell asleep, he felt someone poking his head.  
"Hiiiro," he felt his mattress depress, and then a heavy weight flopped across his back.  
"Go away, big brother," he elbowed blindly at the mass on his back, but Tadashi didn't budge for a minute.  
"We need to talk, little brother," Tadashi sat up, ruffling up Hiro's fluffy black hair and poking his skinny side.  
"Hey!" he cried, shoving at his brother before sitting up, frustrated. "Leave me alone!"  
"Ookay, yikes. Don't bite my head off." he held his hands up defensively.  
"I'm tired." he faked a yawn, and Tadashi shook his head.  
"You can't fool me, brother. C'mon. What's going on? I heard about your quiz."  
"It's _stupid_," he shook his head. "I've got this, don't worry." he swallowed, rubbing his neck and avoiding his brother's gaze.  
"I bet you _don't _have this," Tadashi watched his brother carefully. "You can tell me, I promise. I promise I won't make fun."  
Hiro looked at his brother out from under his mass of black hair. "Fine. You want to know why I'm playing stupid? Because I'm sick of-of...stupid people! Who...who can't accept me for who I am! I have to play stupid or I'll get bullied and I can't stand it anymore, Tadashi, I'm bullied so much over my smarts! It's gotten even worse since you left for SFIT! I-I..." he trailed off to take a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. "So I failed a few exams to make myself look average, okay? I can get my grade back up last-minute."  
Tadashi shook his head. "Hiro, why didn't you tell me?"  
"You've got your own problems," he shrugged. "I was handling it just fine."  
"The black eye from the other day says otherwise," he pointed out.

Hiro sighed. "Whatever. Why can't I be normal?"  
"Because you were made to be special," Tadashi said. "Trust me, brother, you've got a purpose in life, and that big brain of yours is gonna take you places someday. Not today, maybe, but someday, okay? I guarantee it. Don't starve yourself of knowledge and stoop to the same level that everyone else is on. If anyone has an issue with you, just outshine them with your awesome grades and that gap-toothed grin."  
Hiro rolled his eyes at the part about his annoying tooth gap, but grinned anyway. "I'd like to see Jordan's face if I still make a straight A in math."  
"Then why don't you try it out and see?" Tadashi asked. "Don't wait to show your true colors 'til it's too late for your grades to bounce back. Like Aunt Cass said, they _will _affect your college career and life."  
Hiro rolled his eyes cockily. "I know, I know. I'm smart, remember?"  
"Don't let that big head of your get too overinflated, genius," Tadashi laughed, rumpling his brother's hair before standing up. "Alright. Good night, Hiro."  
"Night, Tadashi. And...thanks."  
"Yup."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the follows, review, and favorites! This one-shot was requested by Purpalz Miner. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!  
**

* * *

An easy A.  
Hiro grinned at his Algebra II exam sheet with the glaring red A staring back at him. He knew he could do it, and his grade would get bumped up pretty quickly because of it. Thanks to Tadashi and Cass's support, he'd started feeling more comfortable in his own skin.  
"Hiro, my man! Lemme see that,"  
Hiro glanced up to see his friend, James, walking beside him in the hallway of SanFransokyo High. "Oh, hey, James. Uh, I'd prefer not to, but...what'd you score?"  
"C. Didn't study, but you know, who cares, right?"  
"Heh, yeah, those...those stupid grades!" Hiro flapped the paper around and tried to give a convincing grin. He sucked at lying. The taller sophomore grabbed the paper from his waving hand. "You got an A? Did you cheat? Whoa, dude!"  
"No, I actually..I got it honestly," he shrugged. "It just happened."  
James's eyes widened. "You're not that smart."  
"Actually..." he shrugged. "Tested IQ of 159 when I was six. I'm a certified genius."

Stupid ego! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Hiro wanted to kick his locker and pull his hair out for letting that one slip.  
James's blue eyes nearly fell from his eye sockets. "You're kidding me. Hey, Brant, c'mere! You gotta hear this."  
"Oh, I'd rather not. I've got a-another class! You know, ah, chem. Crappy, right?"  
"You stay right here, dude," James grabbed his hoodie and held the pipsqueak of a Hiro still until Brant came over. He was six foot three, a basketball player, and also the biggest bully in the school. All of the teachers had to do whatever he wanted them to do, because his father was a lawyer and powerful enough to make any threats against the school happen - not limited to changing a student's grades or giving them detention for undisclosed reasons. Hiro had been subject to that a few times.  
_Crap_. Hiro gulped nervously.  
"He got an A."  
Brant was in Hiro's Algebra II class. He'd taken the same exam. Hiro was dead.  
"You got an A?"  
"IQ of 159," James added.  
"He's lying."  
"I'm twelve years old and a junior in high school! Whaddya think?" Hiro asked boldly.  
"I think you're a little twerp who doesn't belong here." Brant glanced at the clock. "Do you know what lying gets you, Hiro?"  
"Stuff you wouldn't normally get?" he squeaked. Stupid voice!  
Brant's booming laugh shook Hiro to his core. "C'mon, James. Bathroom break."

"Oh, uh, thanks guys, you know, I really did need to go to the bathroom - thanks for letting me do that before you beat the-"

"Um, no, you're not," Brant shook his head.  
"James?" Hiro turned to his 'friend'. Why was he going with whatever Brant said?!  
"Sorry, dude. But hanging with Brant gets the girls to notice me." James shrugged as if it were no big deal. Hiro squirmed to slip his arms out of the hoodie, working fast so neither of the guys would notice. Stupid _zipper_! Shoving it over his head, he took off at a dead run.

He wished his brother was still going to SanFransokyo High instead of being a college student for SFIT. Seriously. His brother would have those two guys put in their place in no time at all.  
"Do you really think you can outrun us?"  
_Time to use that ego of yours, _Hiro grinned. "Nope, but I'll outsmart you for sure!" he yelled over his shoulder as he picked up the pace.  
"Principal Gomez, Principal Gomez! He's going to vandalize the gym! Grab him, the cans are in his locker!" Brant yelled frantically, and Hiro glanced up.  
That's about when the principal came out and fairly clothes-lined Hiro. His head slammed off of the hard floor, and he groaned, fighting the urge to black out.  
"No! Please! I don't have spray paint, and I wasn't going to vandalize!" Hiro cried, praying for a distraction for the principal so he could get away.  
"You're a troublemaker, Hamada, how do I know that for sure?" Principal Gomez shook his head. "I'm going to check your locker."  
_I set off a chemical reaction in your office one time, Principal. ONE TIME. _Hiro grumbled to himself as he rubbed his aching head.  
By now, kids were gathering around and watching the whole scene play out. They knew they were in for a show if Brant was involved.  
As soon as the principal was gone, Hiro staggered to his feet and resumed the race. He glanced behind him to see just how much ground the two had gained, and that's when he slammed into someone for the second time.  
"Oof!"  
Honey Lemon.  
The tall senior staggered on her platform heels, landing squarely on her backside. "Hiro! What's going on?"  
"Them! I'm sorry!" he scrambled to his feet, but didn't bother helping the girl to her feet. She got up on her own, though, and chased after him. She was risking something, since Brant was always on her case about being smart as well, but she couldn't leave Tadashi's little brother to fend for himself!  
"Come on!" she caught up with him and pulled him promptly into their chem classroom.  
Brant and James slid into the classroom moments after. "Back off, nerd. He's ours to deal with."  
"No, he isn't, and James, you should be ashamed of yourself! He was your friend!" Honey Lemon cried. "Ms. Yan, they're bullying him, please - can't you report them?"  
The teacher picked up her office phone to do so, and Brant flashed her a look that froze her in place. "Well, he started it by saying we were below him because of his IQ."  
"I never said that!" Hiro yelled, stepping boldly out from behind Honey Lemon, who he'd been hiding behind.  
_Stupid_! James made a move to grab him, and he took off out of the door. The chase was resumed. Only this time, Brant caught him by the waist, threw him over his shoulder, and took him promptly to the boys' bathroom, where they dunked him in a toilet and forced his head under water until he was gagging and choking, almost drowning. Then, they left him lying on the floor of the dirty stall, soaking wet and gasping for air. Brant added a kick in the gut for good measure and wadded up the math exam to drop it on his face before leaving.  
"You know what happens if you rat us out," Brant called over his shoulder as he left. James threw his hoodie into the toilet before leaving.

Hiro stayed in the bathroom stall until the school day was over. He just _had _to be smart. Why couldn't intelligence be seen as cool instead of the reverse?  
When he crept from the bathroom, he found Honey Lemon sitting on the school floor in front of the boys' bathroom door.  
"Shouldn't you have left on the bus by now?" he asked.  
She shook her head, readjusting her glasses and putting away her book. "I waited for you to come out. I couldn't go in there to get you, obviously. Are you okay?"  
"Heh, yeah. Just a little soggy. I don't want to think about how much toilet water I drank, though," he half-joked, and she grimaced.  
"Come on. I'll give you a ride home," she didn't hesitate to put an arm around his damp shoulders and led him to the parking lot, where her van sat.  
"Thanks," he grinned thankfully. "And I'm sorry for knocking you down earlier. I was just-"  
"Not watching where you were going because two huge guys were chasing you! Completely understandable, Hiro!" Honey Lemon grinned and waved it off, starting the van and backing slowly from her parking space.

On the ride to the Lucky Cat Cafe, they discussed bullying. Honey Lemon knew about it all too well, and offered to come over and talk to him anytime he needed someone.  
_No wonder Tadashi likes her,_ Hiro grinned. At first, he'd been a little apprehensive about his brother having a girlfriend, but if she was this kind, she deserved his brother's affection. When they pulled into the cafe, she followed him inside. Aunt Cass took one look at her nephew and gasped.

"Hiro! What happened?!"  
"Hey, Aunt Cass. I'm just gonna go change and take a shower, if you don't mind," he grinned. "I'll tell you later. Thanks, Honey Lemon!"  
"Any time, lil guy!" she waved before setting her purse down and sitting primly at a table.

As soon as Hiro went into his room after having scrubbed every remnant of the disgusting school germs from his body, he was met by Tadashi.  
"Honey told me what happened today."  
"Yeah," Hiro shrugged, his hand instinctively going to his tender side, which had bruised from Brant's kick. "My brain got rattled around a lil' bit, but it's no biggie."  
"I think it _is _a biggie, Hiro. You can't let them do that to you!"  
"It's kind of hard when you're only five-foot-even and they're hulking _monsters_ that outweigh you by a hundred and fifty pounds!" Hiro screamed. He didn't want to talk about this one more time.  
"Hey. Calm down, little brother." Tadashi sat down on his bed and beckoned for his brother to come sit as well. "You're smarter than all of those bullies put together, and I'm probably not even kidding. You have to outsmart them."  
"I had a plan, I tried and the stupid principal clothes-lined me!" Hiro cried, pacing the room instead of sitting with his brother. "Don't you get it? This is what happens when I show my smarts. I-I got an A in my last exam for Algebra II and I ended up getting dunked in a freaking toilet and kicked and knocked down and I accidentally knocked Honey Lemon down too and-"  
"Hiro-"  
"-It's so stupid and _they're_ stupid and what's even the point to bullying, anyway? It doesn't get you anywhere financially or make you smarter!" Hiro yelped. "And it's-"  
"Hiro!" Tadashi stood up and grabbed his brother's bony shoulders. "Calm down a minute! Geez, I wish Dad could talk to you about this instead. He'd be able to do a better job."  
"Well, he's not here, and neither is Mom, so we're screwed." Hiro grumbled quietly.  
"Hey. Don't talk like that, little brother."  
"Well, it's better than what I could be say-"  
Tadashi shook his head and silenced his brother. "Hiro, I'm sorry. I wish I could take the bullying for you. But I can't, so you have to tough it out. Outsmarting them doesn't mean outrunning them. Next time they try to bully you, get up somewhere high where they can't reach you, or do...something. Something they _can't _do. And you know, just focus on your grades and don't worry about those idiots. Your grades are more important right now and you'll be out of school soon enough. You know that." Hiro nodded, but now that his initial fury had melted away, it had left him sobbing. Tadashi pulled his brother up against him and put his arms protectively around him, letting him cry onto his shirt. "It's okay, buddy. It won't be this way forever."


End file.
